The Marriage Proposal
by randomnessthoughts
Summary: When his guardian, Rupert Giles, who has been his only form of parent since his parents died in a car accident when he was younger, dies, in his will he leaves Angel O’Connor his entire empire, comprising of a chain of bookstores named The Englishman’s Li
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** The Marriage Proposal

**Author:** Edel

**Summary:** When his guardian, Rupert Giles, who has been his only form of parent since his parents died in a car accident when he was younger, dies, in his will he leaves Angel O'Connor his entire empire, comprising of a chain of bookstores named The Englishman's Library, and Wolfram & Hart, a law firm Giles purchased several years ago, worth hundreds of millions of dollars. But there's one condition: he must marry within one month of his Gile's death, and remain married for four years. Can Angel, a player, commit to one woman?

**Distribution: **my site, my update group, my B/A group. If you want it on your site, just ask!

**Rating:** R (maybe NC-17 in later chapters)

**Spoilers:** none, AU.

**Disclaimer:** Joss Whedon owns the characters unfortunately.

**Feedback:** Please! You know I love it!

**Author's note:** I started this fic a few months back, but I could have _sworn_ that I had it on Oh well... here it is now. Review:P

* * *

**Chapter 1**

Angel watched as the coffin was lowered into the ground. His lips set in a firm line, his eyes refused to leak any tears as they covered the grave with dirt, and he turned as he felt a hand on his shoulder. Surprise filled his features as he saw William Thompson, a.k.a. Spike, his best friend since boarding school. They embraced briefly.

"Sorry to hear it, mate," Spike started, as they began to walk back to their cars. "He was a good man." Angel nodded.

"What are you doing here? I thought you couldn't make it," Angel asked softly.

"Yeah, well, I finally convinced Dru to let me come," Spike chuckled, thinking of his long-time girlfriend. "I'm flying back tomorrow, though."

"So soon?" Angel asked, surprised. Spike nodded.

"I could only get one day off work," Spike grumbled, as they reached their parked vehicles. "Hey, how about the two of us go out tonight to a college party, for old-times sake?"

"What about Drusilla?" Angel queried. He stepped into his Mercedes, and rolled down the window.

"She doesn't have to know," Spike shrugged. "Besides, it's you we're trying to bag a bird for." Angel chuckled softly. Spike would always be Spike.

"Okay," Angel agreed reluctantly.

"Great!" Spike grinned. "I know just the place. Some juniors are after moving into a new apartment, nice big one, and they're throwing a house-warming, or an apartment-warming." Spike took a torn piece of paper out of his jacket.

"Here's the address. I'll see you there at nine?" Angel nodded, and rolled up the window. The powerful engine roared to life, and he quickly left the cemetery, refusing to glance back in the mirror at the final resting place of the man who had always been there for him, but now was slowly turning to dust.

* * *

TBC... if I receive plenty of reviews, that is! And sorry for the short chapter, but this was really only supposed to be an intro of sorts... 


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** The Marriage Proposal

**Author:** Edel

**Summary: **see other chapter…

**Distribution:** my site,my update group,my B/A group (links on author page). If you want it on your site, just ask!

**Spoilers:** None, AU.

* * *

**Chapter 2**

Angel stared at the piece of paper clasped in his hand. He raised his eyes to look at Wesley Wyndam Pryce sitting behind his desk, and glanced down at the sheet again.

"What is _this_ supposed to be?" Angel asked angrily.

Wesley cleared his throat, and remained calm. His former guardian Rupert had displayed the same short temper on occasion to the successful lawyer, who was also his personal lawyer and friend at Wolfram & Hart.

"That is your guardian's will," Wesley replied simply.

"I'm aware of that," Angel spat out. "But what is this attached to it?"

"I presume you speak of the condition?" Wesley questioned, picking up his own copy of the late entrepreneur's will. He proceeded to read aloud the will.

"I, Rupert Giles, entrust my empire, consisting of a chain of bookstores and a law firm, to Liam Angelus O'Connor on the event of my death. He will only receive ownership if he is married by his birthday following the occurrence of my death, and this marriage must last at least three years-"

"Etc., etc," Angel cut him off. "But why is there this condition?"

Wesley leaned back in his leather chair.

"Well..." he pondered aloud. "He always wanted to see you married before you became too old. He feared that you would never settle down, and he and your parents always wanted that for you."

Angel briefly sat down for a moment. Giles and his father had been best friends since college when his father left Ireland for Oxford. Giles also introduced his father to his mother.

"When is your next birthday?" Wesley inquired, sorting through some files.

"November 8th," Angel groaned. Wesley's eyes shot up from the paperwork.

"Today is October 2nd. That leaves you only a month to find a wife."

"I'm well aware of that," Angel said. He looked at his watch. It was after 4pm. "Is that all?"

"Yes. If I need you, I'll not hesitate to call," Wesley absentmindedly answered. Angel rolled his eyes as he left the lawyer's office. Sometimes Wesley was entirely too proper with his phrasing. _A lot like Giles,_ he reminded himself, as he stepped into his car and drove to his apartment to prepare for the night ahead.

* * *

A sharp knock sounded on his front door shortly after 9pm. Angel answered it, and walked back into the spacious living area, followed by Spike. 

"You ready to go?" Spike asked, as Angel stood by the enormous window, glancing out onto the street below.

"In a minute," he inattentively answered.

Spike bent to pick up a few papers strewn messily on the glass coffee table, and skimmed over them with avid interest. His eyes widened as he re-read carefully over one of the papers.

"Holy shit! Is this what I think it is?" he asked Angel.

"Have you the British flag permanently lodged in your ass?' Spike opened his mouth to retort, when he saw the familiar cheeky smirk on his friend's face. His lips too took on a cheeky grin, as Angel turned, his expression serious. He sighed.

"Know anyone who'd make a great wife, and would be willing to marry me in less than a month for three years?" Spike chuckled.

"I could start rattling off the long list of your one-time bed-mates, but we'll miss the party." Angel shook his head.

"No, I wouldn't want to spend three years of my life with any of them. One night was more than enough." This raised a laugh from a Spike. "No, I want someone new, fresh."

"Yeah, but that's a hell of a lot easier said than done. Give me one reason why someone would marry a complete stranger?" Spike asked. "Granted, a good-looking stranger, with a stud for a best friend."

Angel laughed at his remark, and then turned serious again.

"I'll give them five million reasons," he said softly, a slow smile erupting on his lips. Spike was quiet for a moment.

"Well, that's a lot of reasons," he agreed, "but what chick would be so desperate as to marry some random guy for money?"

* * *

Buffy Summers sighed, and looked at herself in the mirror. She tossed away another potential outfit. Glancing in her closet, she already knew that she hadn't a new outfit. Hell, she couldn't afford to buy new clothes in _months_. She groaned. 

She wanted to wear something special. Tonight, her and her roommates, Willow, Faith, Anya and Cordelia were finally throwing their house-warming, or rather, apartment-warming, party after moving in July. That had been when she was happy and in fashion, and blissfully unaware of the traumas yet to arrive. A couple of weeks later, doctors found yet another tumour in her mother's brain.

She sighed again, feeling as if the weight of the world rested on her weary shoulders. Everything had seemed okay after she had gotten the first one, which paled in comparison to the size of the current threat, removed last year. Things had just returned to normal, when they were struck with the tragic news.

All of her remaining college funds went to paying hospital bills, and Buffy had to sell a lot of her personal belongings. Unfortunately, when the girls were moving into their new apartment, which was a palace when contrasted with their first apartment, they all had to pay three months of rent in advance. The landlord was untouched by her pleas, and said it would be going against the contract to return her money.

She only had a couple more weeks left here, before she would move back in with her mother. She had wanted to move back in with mother as soon as she found out the devastating revelation, but Joyce had refused, saying she deserved at least a few more months of freedom before she had to endure living with her, as she jokingly told her.

Finally, she selected a black mini, and a daring burgundy silk top that accented her golden skin. She applied a small amount of make-up, and brushed her straight hair until it shone. She nodded at herself in the mirror.

"Let's rock 'n roll," she murmured, and left her room, loud music assaulting her ears.

* * *

By the time Spike and Angel reached the apartment complex where the party was taking place, it was after half nine. Climbing the stairs to reach the party on the top floor, Spike leaned in to talk to Angel, so as not to be heard by the many people chatting, or in a few couple's cases, making out along the corridors. 

"Just to let you know," Spike spoke quietly as they reached the top floor of the impressive building and approached the apartment, where loud music drifted out from, "Cordelia is the brunette who can be quite snobby, Faith is also a brunette, who is up for anything, and I mean _anything_,' he raised his eyebrows suggestively at Angel.

"The redhead," he continued, as they slowed to a standstill behind the enormous crowd trying to enter the apartment, "well, you already kind of know of Willow."

Angel stopped in surprise.

"Willow lives here? As in Oz's Willow?" he asked, referring to an old friend of theirs.

The three of them, and another guy named Devon, had formed a band called Dingoes Ate My Baby in highschool. They split the band up after they each went their separates after highschool: Spike, back to England, Oz, to university in Los Angeles, where he currently resided each weekday, studying to become a physician. Angel attended UC Sunnydale, and Devon... well, they last they had heard, he was travelling the country with some 'hot dominatrix'.

"One and the same," Spike nodded. "Oz said she was lonely staying at their apartment when he was in LA five days out of every week, and she didn't want to go back to living with her controlling parents."

"And the two blondes," Spike added, as they stepped over the threshold of the apartment. He looked around the large living room, which was swarming with partygoers. "Let me see if I can point them out too."

Angel nodded absentmindedly, his attention riveted on the stunning blonde with sparkling emerald green eyes walking their way. Her gaze landed on him for a brief moment, before she began conversing with a slightly taller blonde.

"Ah!" Spike's voice broke through his reverie.

"See those two birds over there?" he asked him, pointing out the two blondes gossiping only a few steps from them. "That's Buffy and Anya.'

His eyes took on a glint Angel had seen shine in the peroxide blonde's eyes before; it usually meant his was about to close in on prey.

"Personally, I'm gonna see if I can get anywhere with Buffy,' he said with a lewd grin on his lips.

"I'd bet she'd be a stunner between the sheets." Angel chuckled.

"Well," Angel began, wanting to draw Spike's attention to the beautiful blonde in burgundy and black, "I think I'd prefer... Darla."

"Really, well," Spike stopped. "What?"

Angel looked at the blonde who had toyed with him several times in the past, who now stood before him.

"Darla," he greeted, his voice stripped of any emotion. She smiled.

"Hello Angelus," she purred. Angel's gaze briefly hardened.

"Don't call me that," he advised her in a deadly soft voice. She remained silent for a moment.

"Okay... Angel," she amended. "Tell me, how are you?"

"Much better now that there's no blonde whore in the picture," Spike interrupted. Darla switched her gaze to the other man. Her gaze narrowed.

"Well, what about you?" she questioned innocently. Spike clenched his fists, but said nothing. It was no secret that Spike loathed Darla for trying to sabotage Angel and his close friendship. She in turn, despised him just as much.

Darla returned her gaze to Angel. "I guess I'll talk to you in a while?" she said, heading towards the kitchen were all the alcohol was on offer.

"I don't know why you put up with her bullshit," Spike said, shaking his head as they sank in one of the sofas.

"Well, let's just say I'm just buttering her up so I can use her and _I'll_ be the one ditching _her_ at the end of the night," Angel murmured with a smirk. Spike grinned.

"Revenge. What a sweet thing it is," Spike declared as he stood to steal a plastic cup of beer from a tray carried by some passer-by.

* * *

Buffy sighed, and took another gulp of her punch. It burned as it slid down her throat, and she realized too late that it was heavily spiked. She cursed inwardly. That had been her third glass of punch she'd downed in five minutes. Buffy and alcohol were a disastrous combination. 

_Looks like I'm in for an interesting evening,_ she thought, as her brain slowly succumbed to the power of alcohol.

* * *

Spike looked up as the petite blonde collapsed onto the sofa beside him. He looked around the room to see if Angel could see what position he was now in, and saw him depart the room with Darla, a cup of beer in hand. Spike rolled his eyes, but deep inside he was worried. 

Angel was just setting himself up for Darla to trample all over him again. Angel was a big boy, who knew how to act, but not when he was heavily under the influence of alcohol, like now. But still Spike refused to budge. Memories of the last time he tried to stop Angel from doing something drastic and stupid when he was drunk were still fresh in his mind; he had sported a black eye for days.

Spike turned his attention back to the blonde seated beside him. "Hello love," he started, extending his hand.

"Name's Spike." An eyebrow rose in amusement.

"Interesting name," she said.

He noticed that her speech was somewhat slurred, a sure sign she was tipsy and on the way to being quite drunk.

"I'm Buffy," she announced, shaking his outstretched hand.

"I know," he murmured.

"Oh?"

"Drink?" Spike asked, spying someone walking in their direction with a tray of alcoholic beverages.

"I shouldn't," she began.

She paused.

"But I will," she finished, a slow, feline-like smile appearing on her red lips. Spike grinned, and rose to take two cups off the tray.

"Ah! Vodka," Spike declared, settling on the sofa closer to Buffy.

"My favourite," he murmured, as he watched as Buffy downed half of the cup in one go.

"Careful!" he exclaimed, as she coughed, choking as the strong alcohol burnt its way down her throat. "It's not healthy for a person to drink that much vodka in one go, you know." She looked at him, grinning cheekily.

"I take it you're speaking from experience?"

"Cheeky," Spike said, grinning back.

* * *

An hour later, Spike was half-drunk, but compared to Buffy, he was stone cold sober. She was giggling from when he cursed, "Bloody hell!" several minutes ago, when she leaned over and caused him to tip his alcohol onto the floor. He smiled at her. 

They had shared an interesting conversation on many different topics, until about ten minutes ago, when the skill of talking properly departed her. In that short time however, he had found out about her mother's illness and sympathised, having lost his own mother several years back from cancer.

Suddenly, his thoughts drifted back to the beautiful blonde who was now straddling him and rubbing herself against him suggestively.

"Want a tour of my bedroom?" she murmured, a seductive smile on her lips.

He didn't need to be asked twice, although as they neared her bedroom, a small part of him protested against the idea, knowing he would never act like this in a sober mood. His thoughts drifted back to Dru, as the door closed behind them.

* * *

Several hours later, Angel groaned as he awoke. He managed to slip on his boxers, and grabbing the rest of his clothes, dashed out of the room and into the nearest bathroom, where he then emptied the contents of his stomach into the toilet. 

Somehow, he found the brainpower to properly dress himself. When he exited the bathroom, he felt the remaining alcohol in his system take over his skill to walk. He crashed into a nearby table as he made his way over to one of the sofas that hadn't anyone passed out on it.

"Nice... nice," he murmured. "Don't spin on me, and we'll be great..." he passed out, the rest of his sentence forgotten.

* * *

Spike cracked open an eye, and groaned. 

"Ugh, my head," he groaned softly as he sat up in the bed.

Thankfully, the last of the alcohol in his system seemed to be evaporating. He pulled on his clothes, and glanced over his shoulder at the blonde in the bed, snoring softly. A small smile briefly appeared on his lips, before he exited the room.

He made his way for the front door, stepping over the many bodies passed out on the floor. He stopped as he saw a familiar dark head.

"Angel," he said, shaking his friend awake.

"Wh-what?" Angel murmured, looking around him madly.

"C'mon," Spike said, pulling him up into a sitting position on the sofa. "Time to go home."

Angel groaned as Spike somehow found the strength to support him out of the apartment complex, and into his own car. He drove him home, and brought him to his door.

"I'll ring you when I get back home," he told Angel.

Angel nodded, shutting his door. Spike smiled, and whistled a forgotten tune as he took the lift down to the ground floor. He stepped into his rental car, and took one last glance around the area, before heading for his hotel to retrieve his items, and then, onto LAX, and home... to Drusilla.

* * *

TBC... the more reviews, the faster I'll update! ;) 


	3. Chapter 3

**Title:** The Marriage Proposal

**Author: **Edel

**Summary:** see other chapter…

**Distribution:** my update group, my B/A group. If you want it on your site, just ask!

**Spoilers:** None, AU.

**A/N:** I've _no_ idea what classes one would take if they study Law in college. All I know is that Constitutional Law is (I think) a subject you'd take if you were studying law at NUIG. I've no idea how long it would go on for either. But I'm saying it lasts for 2 hours. :P

* * *

**Chapter 3**

Firm lips captured hers in a brutally passionate kiss, as warm hands slowly explored her body. Her body arched as he slipped a hand under her top and caressed a breast. She raised her upper body from the bed to help him remove her silk top, and arched as he caught a breast in her mouth. She moaned, and held his head to her as he sucked.

His hand played with her other breast, while the other slowly travelled down her stomach and slipped under her skirt. Her eyes opened as she felt him slip a finger in her, stretching her. He didn't need to feel her barrier to know she was still a virgin. She was so tight around him, it took all his willpower to not rip off their clothes and slam inside her until they came.

"I want to taste you," he murmured. However, his words refused to make sense in her alcohol-clouded brain, until she felt something warm and wet moving between her legs. She looked down, and saw him waiting for her to meet his gaze. As she did, he plunged his tongue into her tight passage, tasting and exploring, and a strangled cry of pleasure erupted from her throat. Embarrassment coloured her cheeks as she tried in vain to pull his head away from the intimate spot between her legs, but he refused to budge, pushing her gently back down on the bed again.

"Just feel," he whispered against her. And she did. Her hands briefly grasped his hair and held him against her before pulling shyly away. He smiled, and blew against her. She shivered.

"Pl... please," she panted. He looked up.

"Please what?" he asked.

"Make me..." she paused, and pushed her embarrassment and hesitation aside. "Make me come." He smiled wolfishly before delving into her again. She came, her scream muffled by the pillow clutched in her hands.

* * *

Buffy's eyes popped open, and she gasped. _What a dream_, she thought, raising her head slightly to look around her room. She groaned, closing her eyes as someone tore her curtains opened to reveal the bright sun.

"Good morning!" Willow chirped. Buffy groaned again, burrowing her head into her pillow. "God Buffy, what did you have last night? You look like death warmed over." She paused. "Whatever the hell that means."

"I feel like it too," Buffy murmured. Suddenly, a thought struck her. "Will, what time is it?"

"After 11am. Which means you still have time to reach Constitutional Law at 12pm," Willow said, as Buffy jumped out of bed and began searching through her closet for a suitable outfit.

"You might want to wash away the stench of alcohol before you go, you know," Willow added, leaving her room to make breakfast. _And the stickiness between my legs,_ Buffy thought, heading to the bathroom for a quick shower.

* * *

Buffy hurriedly entered the bright kitchen, and Willow looked up from one of her many textbooks for her Science course. She looked on, dismayed, as Buffy hurriedly toasted a bagel and buttered it. Grabbing an apple and a carton of juice, she put both in her book bag.

"Breakfast?" Willow asked, gesturing to the cereal on the table. Buffy shook her head, indicating to the bagel she was eating, and rushed out the front door. Willow sighed, and went back to reading over her notes.

* * *

Angel groaned as the sunlight poured in his large living room windows, rousing him from sleep on the sofa. He looked around the room, and was relieved to see it was his own apartment. He trudged into the kitchen in search of something to eat. As he sat at the large table in the dining room, his thoughts drifted to the gorgeous blonde who had caught his attention at the party last night. Anya, he remembered, sipping the strong coffee. He glanced at the clock. It was after 12pm. _Surely she must have a class today,_ he thought. Quickly washing up after his late breakfast, he headed for the bathroom for a shower.

* * *

Constitutional Law ended half an hour early as the professor wasn't feeling well, and Buffy nearly rejoiced aloud as she exited the stuffy hall and into the warm, sunny afternoon. Her stomach rumbled, reminding her she was starving, and she began to walk at a quicker pace, trying to get back to the apartment quickly before Willow left for her class at 2.

She was so lost in thought that she failed to notice the tall, handsome man also hurrying along, not paying attention to his surroundings, and they slammed into one other, spilling Buffy's books onto the pavement.

"I'm sorry," he said, bending to help her gather her books. Her breath caught in her throat as her gaze collided with his dark eyes. She stood again, offering him a quick smile.

"It's okay," she assured him. He smiled at her. _It's her,_ he thought with glee.

"I know you," he said innocently. "I saw you at the party last night. Anya, right?" She laughed.

"Um, no," she began. He narrowed his eyes.

"What?" he interrupted. She extended her hand.

"I'm Buffy. Buffy Summers," she told him as he grasped her hand, and she inwardly shivered as electricity momentarily crackled.

"Angel O'Connor," he stated. She dropped his hand, and clutched her books closer, seeming unfazed by the moments.

"But," he began, and then paused. "My friend pointed you out as Anya last night." She chuckled.

"Who's your friend?" she asked.

"William Thompson, or Spike, as he likes to be called."

"Hmm..." she pondered. "The name seems oddly familiar... and yet not." He chuckled, but his expression suddenly turned serious.

"Buffy, would it seem too sudden if I asked you out to lunch?" he asked. He saw her hesitate. "Or coffee, whichever suits," he added.

"Lunch is good," she said, smiling. He grinned.

"Great!"

* * *

They managed to grab a table at the Espresso Pump, before Angel dived into conversation again.

"Buffy," he started, and then paused.

"Yes?" she asked, pausing in eating her salad.

"I have a proposition for you," he started. "I'll explain it all to you, but please don't interrupt." He then went on to tell her how Giles died, and the conditions of the will.

"I'm sorry about your guardian," Buffy said, taking his hand in hers. "But what has that got to do with me?" He took in a deep breath.

"Spike, well, he told me about your condition."

"My _condition_?" Buffy asked. "I have a condition!"

"Yes, no, I mean the way you're living, how you're about to drop out of college because your college funds have been used to pay your mother's hospital bills." She immediately dropped his hand.

"You better not be saying what I think you are," she hissed. He nodded.

"It would be in name only, for three years, and you'd receive five million dollars at the end of it. Your mother would be able to receive the surgery she desperately needs and you'd be able to stay in college and graduate." He took a deep breath.

"Buffy, will you marry me?" Her eyes grew wide, and she remained silent for a few moments.

"Y-yes," she mumbled. Angel's head shot up.

"What?" he asked in disbelief. He never thought she would agree.

"Yes," she said in a stronger voice. His face broke out in a smile.

"Great! The ceremony will take place two weeks from now, which should give us enough time to get to know each other a bit better." He sighed. "I don't need to remind you that although this marriage will be in name only, we will need to make it as real as it can be. We'll need to show our love in front of family and friends, so you can count on some kisses here and there," he added with a smirk. She hit him on the arm, clearly not amused.

"Ha. Ha." Suddenly, a thought struck her. "My mom. How will we explain this to her? She'll never believe that I just married a complete stranger." He was silent for a few minutes.

"What are you majoring in?" he asked her.

"Law, why?" He smiled.

"I studied Law when I attended UC Sunnydale. You could say I secretly tutored you last year before I graduated, and you never told anyone about it because you wanted to be independent," he told her. He grinned. "This might actually work!"

"I'm not so sure," Buffy murmured warily. She sighed. "So, when do we tell everyone the big news?"

"As soon as possible," Angel answered, digging into his chicken sandwich. "It'll give them time to get used to the idea." Buffy sighed, but said nothing. Her friends would probably fall for it, but what about her mom? _What have I gotten myself into?_ she wondered.

TBC...


	4. Chapter 4

**Title:** The Marriage Proposal

**Author:** Edel

**Email:** see other chapter…

**Distribution:** my update group: www.groups. B/A group: www.groups. If you want it on your site, just ask!

**Spoilers:** None, AU.

**A/N:** I want to apologise to you all, I know I haven't updated any of my B/A fics in ages, but I've been busy and my muse has taken off for parts unknown since summer 2005. But I've some extra chapters so here goes...I'm trying to lure my muse back so keep your fingers crossed and review! Thanks for sticking up with me and enjoy :P

* * *

**Chapter 4**

* * *

Buffy gulped in a deep breath, and glanced over her shoulder at the man standing behind her. _Fiancé, and future husband,_ she corrected herself. This thought created a desperate panic inside of her, which Angel seemed to sense.

"Hey, hey," he whispered soothingly. "It's alright."

"Alright! It's not _alright!_" she hissed. "In a minute, we're gonna have to go into my apartment, where my friends are waiting for the big news I promised to tell them earlier! So do _not_ tell me that everything is fine and dandy!" She drew in short breaths as she tried to compose herself. Angel looked down at the blonde and felt a moment's pity for her. He lightly clasped her hand in his.

"And I'll be there with you," he assured her softly. She slowly looked up at him, unsure and confused about the comfort and warmth that she was now experiencing. She shook her head as she turned back to the closed door.

"Let's rock 'n roll," she murmured.

* * *

Willow glanced up as she heard the front door slam, and looked on in confusion as Buffy entered the living room, followed closely by a familiar-looking handsome man, who seemed to tower above the petite blonde. She tore her gaze away from the pair to look at Oz seated beside her, who was too confused by the couple before them. 

"Hey guys," Buffy began in a soft voice, drawing everyone's attention. She briefly looked back at Angel. "Angel, I'd like you to meet Willow, Oz, Xander, Cordelia, Anya and Faith," pointing each person out to him. "Guys, this is Angel. My fiancé."

"Oh my god!"

"B, you're getting _married_?"

"Are you in any way kidding?"

"I bet you're only marrying him for hot monkey sex!"

"You got knocked up, didn't you?"

"You guys, stop it!" Buffy yelled. "Yes Will, a big oh my god. Yes Faith, that means no more nights of hunting for helpless sex slaves for you," a grin appeared on her face as she continued. "No Xand, I'm totally _not_ kidding, and _that_ is my business, Anya!" She paused for a moment, then murmured softly with a wink to Anya, "But it is a reason." She looked at Cordelia. "God Cor! Was that the first thing that popped into your mind?"

The brunette shook her head. "It was the only thing I could think of that made sense," she told her friend.

"Well, no. I'm not pregnant," Buffy said.

"How come we've never met you before Angel?" Willow asked.

"Yeah, and how did you two meet?" Xander interrupted.

"We met while he was secretly tutoring me last year," Buffy answered.

"But…you kick ass at Law," Faith said.

"I do? I mean, I do, right!" Buffy amended with a short laugh. "But my mind was so preoccupied with mom last year, so I enlisted the help of Angel, and there was… there was a spark," she looked over her shoulder at her future husband, and then back at her friends, very conscious of the fact that Angel was relieving her of some tension by soothingly rubbing his thumb over knuckles. She took a deep breath, and tried to ignore the feelings that seemed to be sparking inside her.

"He asked me out to dinner, and we've been dating for the past few months. I wanted to tell you, but I thought that once the tutoring ended, we'd have ended too. Imagine my shock when he popped the question," she finished with a chuckle. Willow smiled happily, as the others chatted quietly about the big surprise. Unnoticed, Buffy dragged Angel into the adjoining kitchen.

"I can't believe I pulled that off," she murmured in disbelief.

"You were great," Angel whispered, pulling her close for a friendly hug.

"Great? I'm not great! You've no idea what it's like, having to lie to your friends and family." She immediately regretted her comment as she felt Angel stiffen and pull away. She sighed, dejected.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that," she murmured, placing her hand on his on the granite counter. Instantly a tingling sensation shot up her arm, and erupted in her gut. She gasped as he stepped closer, but before any naughty fantasies of what could happen could pop into her mind, a cheery voice interrupted them.

"We were wondering where you two lovebirds were hiding," Willow uttered with a grin as she and Xander stepped into the kitchen. Buffy immediately stepped away from Angel.

"So Buff, how did your mom take the news?" Xander enquired. Buffy looked at Angel, desperate panic clear in her emerald green eyes.

* * *

"You know, I still can't believe you haven't told her," Xander chuckled in the hospital lobby. 

"Shut up, Xand," Buffy warned. She took in a deep breath and tried to compose her shaky nerves, but to no avail.

"You gonna be okay?" Willow asked with a small smile. Buffy nodded, plastering a cheery smile on her glossy lips. Gripping Angel's hand in her own, she walked down the busy hallway until she reached her mother's room. Knocking on the closed door, she slowly entered.

"Mom?" Buffy called out softly, afraid her mother was asleep.

"Hey sweetie!" Joyce greeted, grabbing the remote off the bedside table to switch off the television. Her smile briefly grew as she caught a glimpse of her daughter's hand clasped tightly in the larger hand belonging to the tall, dark and handsome man behind her. She was glad Buffy had found someone.

Joyce could never recall Buffy having a serious relationship, the longest being several weeks in highschool with Scott Hope. She knew her daughter liked to remain single and independent. Maybe this man would be the one. She broke out of her reverie as she realised Buffy was talking to her.

"Mom, this is Angel O'Connor. My fiancé." Joyce blinked.

"I'm sorry, but I could have sworn that you introduced this man as..." she trailed off, as she saw the seriousness shining in her daughter's eyes. She suddenly sat up in her bed.

"You knocked her up, didn't you!" she accused, glaring at Angel. "Taking advantage of my baby, that's-"

"Mom! I am _not_ knocked up!" Buffy sighed. "Why does everyone keep thinking that?" she muttered. Her mother exhaled heavily.

"Buffy, can I speak to Angel alone for a minute?" Seeing her daughter beginning to protest, she held up a hand. "I promise I won't bite." Buffy was silent for a moment, then nodded, and stepped out into the hospital corridor. Angel drew in a deep breath. Joyce gestured fir him to take a seat beside her bed.

"Angel O'Connor, is it?" Joyce asked.

"Yes ma'am," Angel answered politely. Joyce paused.

"Was Rupert Giles your guardian?" He nodded. "He was a good man," she noted. "I was saddened to hear about his death." Angel's head shot up.

"You knew Giles?" Joyce nodded. "Briefly. He had some business dealings years ago with my ex-husband." Angel processed this for a moment.

"Mrs Summers-"

"It's Joyce," she interrupted. "Mrs Summers makes me feel old." Angel smiled slightly.

"Joyce... I know you didn't want to talk to me about Giles."

"Yes," Joyce agreed. She hesitated. "Buffy, she isn't pregnant, is she?" she asked.

"No, he replied.

"Then why are you marrying her?"

"Because... I love her, and she loves me," he lied. Joyce mulled over this for a few minutes, and then proceeded to call her daughter back into the room.

"I just wanted you to know that I've decided to give both of you my blessing," Joyce started, then added as an afterthought, "though I doubt Buffy would have let me get in the way of marrying the man of her dreams." She turned to her daughter.

"Of course I'll be expecting the story on you two, where you met, why you kept him a secret for so long. Why would anyone want to do that?" Buffy giggled nervously.

"I was afraid he would be stolen from me," she joked, slipping an arm around Angel's waist. Angel in turn placed a lingering kiss on her sun-kissed head. Joyce smiled warmly at the attractive couple they made.

"You two are so cute!" she gushed. "Oh, think of the children!" Buffy's head shot up.

"Wh-what?" she croaked.

"Well, they'll obviously be very beautiful," Joyce continued. Her smile faded as she took in her daughter's sudden pale complexion. "Honey, you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm just a little tired," Buffy assured her.

"I'm gonna take her home," Angel told Joyce. "It was nice to meet you."

"You too, Angel," she replied. "Hopefully I'll be out of this ridiculous nightgown and wearing actual clothes when we meet again." Angel chuckled as he led Buffy out of the room. Xander and Willow stood as they approached.

"How did she take it?" Willow asked.

"Surprisingly well," Buffy answered. "Listen, I'm gonna catch a ride home with Angel, so I'll see you guys later, kay?"

* * *

Buffy glanced out the car window, and looked over at the silent driver. 

"Where are we going?" she asked softly.

"Here," he responded, pulling off the road and parking the car beside a secluded beach.

"Where are we?" she yawned as he opened the door for her.

"Santa Monica," he answered as they slowly walked down to the shoreline. Buffy stopped in her tracks.

"Excuse me, what!" she demanded incredulously. "As in the one in Los Angeles?"

"One and the same," he murmured, continuing to approach the water's edge.

"But... this place is like a two hour drive from Sunnydale!" she exclaimed.

"I'm well aware of that, since I drive up here a lot."

"Why?"

"To think."

"You drive for two hours just to think," she stated.

"Well, no. I normally drive up here in the middle of the night, so it would only take over an hour, and I could be here for hours, just thinking."

"Sounds like brooding to me," Buffy muttered.

"Well, that too." She flicked her hair out of her face.

"So, why are we here?"

"I wanted to show you this place," he began.

"I grew up in LA, so obviously I've been here many times," she cut in.

"Ah, but not at night, when the stars are actually visible," he guessed.

"No," she slowly replied.

"Also," he added, "it felt like the right place to give you this." He dug into his coat pocket and retrieved a small velvet box. She gasped as he opened it to reveal a stunning diamond ring. She looked up at him.

"You didn't have to go to this much trouble," she murmured.

"Maybe not, but a real ring does help make it look more real," he told her, slipping it on her finger.

"It's... it's beautiful," she whispered, looking up and finding herself lost in his dark gaze. She blinked, and he glanced away. On impulse, she reached up and placed a fleeting kiss on his warm lips. She gazed up at him, and saw something burning strong in his brown eyes.

"C'mon," he said gruffly. "I'll take you home."

TBC...


End file.
